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FCT Contractors Storm Wike’s Door Over ₦5.2bn Debt Crisis
Local contractors in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday staged a protest at the gate of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over alleged unpaid contract bills estimated at ₦5.2 billion. According to Nivo News, the aggrieved contractors said individual debts ran into hundreds of millions of naira and appealed for a direct meeting with the minister to explain their plight.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
One of the protesters, Okeke Benardine, explained that while some payments were made after Wike assumed office, most liabilities remain unsettled under the current administration. He alleged that contractors had not received payment for nearly two years despite completing projects such as air conditioning installations, inverters, and boreholes. Bernardine estimated his personal outstanding balance at ₦270 million and claimed that the overall debt could exceed ₦5.2 billion, with about 70 percent of it accrued in 2023.
Another contractor, Adebola Benson, alleged he was arrested after sending a text message to Wike seeking clarification on the delayed payments. He urged the minister to speak directly with the contractors rather than rely solely on aides.
During the protest, demonstrators carried placards bearing messages such as, “Hon Minister Wike, please kindly authorise our payment, we can hardly take care of our families,” and “Hon Minister Wike, please extend your kindness to us by authorising indigenous contractors’ payment.”
In response, the Federal Capital Territory Administration dismissed the allegations, stating that Wike had not awarded contracts worth ₦5 billion to local contractors and rejecting the claims of widespread indebtedness.
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APC Campaign Council Breaks Silence, Condemns Attack On NDC Supporters In Lagos.
The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the growing incidents of political violence across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The council specifically denounced the disruption of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) town hall meeting in Lagos on Thursday, describing the incident as unacceptable.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, the party called on security agencies to strengthen their efforts to prevent political violence and respond promptly to threats against political gatherings.
News reports that Alake also urged security operatives to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for such attacks in accordance with the law.
The APC campaign council further appealed to politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of triggering unnecessary crises and public disorder.
The statement read: “We have observed the recent spate of violent attacks at political gatherings in parts of the country. The reported attacks in Edo, Cross River, and Gombe, and other violence targeted at party supporters and political leaders across party lines are condemnable.
“Our campaign strongly condemns the disruption of today’s scheduled town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos.
“As we proceed with the electioneering campaign, political parties, politicians, and supporters must restrain themselves and avoid acts that could create needless crisis and public disorder.
“We call on the security agencies to be more responsive and alert in preventing political violence of any type and ensure instigators and perpetrators are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law.
“Political parties and candidates are enjoined to campaign on issues that uplift the lives of Nigerians and not to instigate violence at political events.”
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INEC Chairman Amupitan Faces Angry Protesters During London Visit (Video).
Nigerians living in the United Kingdom on Thursday staged a protest against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, during his visit to Chatham House in London.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that the demonstrators, reportedly members of the Nigerian diaspora, gathered around the vehicle conveying the INEC chairman outside the venue, chanting slogans and making accusations against him and the electoral body.
Some of the protesters described INEC as a “criminal organisation” and demanded Amupitan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the commission’s preliminary voter register.
Their complaints reportedly centred on claims of duplicate entries, the inclusion of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and the existence of fake polling units in the register.
The demonstration took place as Amupitan arrived at Chatham House to participate in a discussion on Nigeria’s electoral process.
During the engagement, organised by the Kimpact Development Initiative, the INEC chairman appealed to Nigerians to have confidence in his leadership, assuring them that the commission was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027.
Amupitan acknowledged that the technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general election had weakened public confidence in INEC, adding that the commission was working to restore Nigerians’ trust.
He said, “The 2023 general election significantly affected public confidence in INEC, and the commission is still working to rebuild the trust of Nigerians.”
The INEC chairman, however, assured Nigerians that measures had been put in place to prevent inaccurate polling unit results from appearing on the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2027 elections.
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INEC Chairman Breaks Silence On Atiku’s Fate If Court Rules Against Him.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has stated that the commission will comply with any court ruling concerning former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had nullified the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) caretaker committee and invalidated its decisions, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
Speaking on the matter on Thursday during an engagement at Chatham House in London, Amupitan said INEC was legally bound to obey any court order, particularly a decision of the Supreme Court, irrespective of its political implications.
He explained that although implementing such rulings could put the commission at the centre of political controversies, it would still have to respect the law.
He said: “If it travels through the courts and, as you said, he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court.
“But the danger is that whenever there’s such a decision, and it’s you who now has to implement it, you become the problem.
“The problem now is transferred to you. But that is the position of the law.”
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission was handling more than 300 court cases, with approximately 66 days remaining before the 2027 general election.
Amupitan said he had previously called for pre-election disputes to be concluded at least six months to one year before an election to enable INEC to focus on its preparations.
According to him, resolving such cases early would allow the commission to concentrate on logistical arrangements, particularly the procurement of sensitive election materials.
He said: “I had advocated in several forums that election matters, pre-election matters rather, should be at least a year before the election. Or let’s say six months.
“So that we can face our logistics. Now we have gone into serious procurement of the most sensitive materials. So that’s a very big issue for us.”
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